7 tips for moving to Singapore

By Cher Morente, Singapore Management University, Singapore

Here are things I wish I knew and wasn’t told before I moved to Singapore as someone who was allocated to SMU!

Flights

Flights across the other side of the world can get expensive. Hence, you should sign up to Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer membership (it’s free)! You get 10% discount on flights, free on-board WiFi and 40kg bag allowance – perfect for packing up your life from one country to another.

2. Accommodation

There’s plenty of accommodation in Singapore, unlike the UK, so don’t panic! A lot of housing agencies only release vacancies from 2 weeks to 1 month of the move in date anyway. Nonetheless, you should do prior research so you know what you want, budget and what they offer. That way, the booking process is as smooth and stress-free as possible.

Accommodation agencies to use: Casa Mia Co-living, The Assembly, Dash, Homey Co-living, Habyt and Cove.

Areas I recommend to live in are: River Valley, Orchard, Novena and Tiong Bahru as they’re fairly close to the centre and SMU and super safe.

3. SIM

You can get a prepaid physical sim or an e-sim. Personally, I bought a physical sim and was able to collect it from the airport upon arrival which was incredibly easy. The main network providers in Singapore are Singtel and Starhub!

4. Public Transport

Public transport is super easy to use in Singapore! So efficient, clean and it’s even air conditioned which is perfect for surviving the humidity. You can use Apple Pay just like London Underground but, you can also get an EZ Link Card if you wish.

5. Banking

While you can open a local Singaporean bank account through UOB, OCBC and DBS, using a travel card such as Revolut, Starling and Wise is more than enough. It’s hassle free. I personally recommend using Wise as it allows you to pay using PayNow which is transferring platform locals and businesses use. However, they do charge a fee for converting GBP into SGD so if you want to avoid that, open up another travel card that won’t!

Another thing to note, when taking out cash for exchanging money or hawker stalls, use Maybank ATMs as other ATMs such as POSB and OCBC will charge a $5 issuance fee.

6. Sightseeing in Singapore

As semester in Singapore starts earlier than the UK, you’ll have time to go around the city and explore. If you can, get to Singapore around the time of the National Day Parade, I would highly recommend! There are fireworks held at the Marina Bay Sands every Saturday until the actual NDP day 9th August and it’s like a nice welcome into the city!

The picture above was my view from Clarke Quay the night I landed! If you have time, get to Esplanade for the best view.

7. Don’t worry!

Singapore is super safe and you’ll meet a bunch of people on exchange! If you’re having trouble meeting people, definitely sign up to SMU’s Buddy and/or Host Programme where you are paired with a local who you can chat to and introduce you to the city! You have a year to enjoy what Singapore has to offer and travel!